random thought after re-reading Robin: Year One

[ratcreature]

I've reread Robin: Year One, the mini-series, not the 1995 annual, and now I'm wondering whether Bruce even reported Dick Grayson missing after he ran away, and what Child Protection Services had to say about that (if anything). Okay, so Bruce has covered up the near-fatal beating, by bringing him to Leslie rather than a hospital, but at some point it must have aroused suspicion that Dick is absent from school. Even if he went back briefly after recovering from his injuries and running away, someone ought to ask questions, no? I mean, Dick is what, twelve? Thirteen?

Of course it's not unlikely that Gotham's other authorities are just as corrupt as the police was especially early in Batman's career, and Bruce Wayne simply paid them not to ask any questions, about what happened to that gypsy circus kid he took in, and nobody really cared. And maybe he bought the school a new computer lab, or something.

Comments

[basingstoke.livejournal.com]

Entirely possible, really. There's that whole plotline in Gotham Knights about Jason's death--obviously his file still raises red flags.

[ratcreature]

I think it would be more worrisome as far as the quality of Gotham's social services goes, if his file didn't raise red flags. I mean, even Bruce's reputation as good citizen when it comes to Gotham (putting aside the playboy thing, which I guess isn't so great when it comes to proving one is/was a responsible guardian) can only do so much to cover the unusual stuff.

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

Hm. Or Bruce could've claimed he'd hired a private tutor because Dick didn't *want* to go to school.

[ratcreature]

Yeah, though we see him have fun in school, ask out a girl, play sports, etc., so to attentive teachers it still might seem odd if his guardian suddenly claims he doesn't like school, even when homeschooling as such wouldn't be a problem.

[thete1.livejournal.com]

Oh *yeah*. One of the things I enjoyed about that one is just how subtly *twisted* it all is. All of the usual "wait, what are you doing with that tiny kid in panties, again?" with a large amount of equally troubling subtext. I don't think I'm ever quite getting over Bruce lying to Gordon about things... mmmm.

[ratcreature]

I found it a bit sudden though, how Gordon was at the end okay with Robin after all.

Batman's ability to inspire loyalty is astounding sometimes. I mean, look at how far Leslie is willing to go to enable his vigilante thing and to protect Bruce, even though she doesn't even agree with his his methods, and doesn't think it will help Gotham that he fights violence with violence. She still covers up that a young teenager was nearly beaten to death. I get that she's very close to him, but reading moments like that, I ask myself, would I cover something like that for my closest family? And, eh, I'm really not sure.

[thete1.livejournal.com]

*nods* It really could've been longer, bigger, *more*, but, well... I don't really expect any of these people to give us the character-heavy plottiness, so I think I often gloss over its absence when it's not *absolutely* egregious, if that makes any sense.

[ratcreature]

Yeah, it makes sense. I mean, I actually I can see why it isn't explored in this comic, with a limited number of pages and a plot that's mostly in another direction, I see why they can't go on all those tangents about Gordon, Leslie and Gotham social services. *grin* And it's not that Leslie's unease isn't addresses a bit more in Leslie-centric stories, and that there isn't more focus on Gordon in Gordon-centric stories (which reminds me that I still have the Turning Points mini-series and Gordon of Gotham lying around unread *sigh*). I really like that in comics, opposed to tv and such, that there's room for them to explore the supporting characters if not always in the main series than in limited, and that they revisit stories with a different focus (even if it's a pain sometimes that you get, like six different versions for an important event, and no two agree even on all major facts. For example, did Zucco die while Batman and Robin questioned him? Secret Origins #13 (1987), Year Three (1989), and Robin Annual #4 (1995) vote no, LotDK #100 (1997), the Nightwing SF&O timeline (1999), and Dark Victory (2000) vote yes. etcetc.)

[thete1.livejournal.com]

(which reminds me that I still have the Turning Points mini-series and Gordon of Gotham lying around unread *sigh*).

I don't know about Gordon of Gotham, but Turning Points *really* did it for me. And I've heard good things about Room Full of Shadows...

I really like that in comics, opposed to tv and such, that there's room for them to explore the supporting characters if not always in the main series than in limited, and that they revisit stories with a different focus (even if it's a pain sometimes that you get, like six different versions for an important event, and no two agree even on all major facts. For example, did Zucco die while Batman and Robin questioned him? Secret Origins #13 (1987), Year Three (1989), and Robin Annual #4 (1995) vote no, LotDK #100 (1997), the Nightwing SF&O timeline (1999), and Dark Victory (2000) vote yes. etcetc.)

*bwahahaha* I knooooow. You'd think there'd be a *few* things that were just Canon, with a capital-C, up until the big universe-wide reboots that take everything into account, or try to, and... yes. *head-hurty*

[ratcreature]

What I find deeply weird is that the things change even if it is the same writer. You'd think they would remember the basics of their *own* damn stories at least, but no such luck. I mean the events with Dick and Two-Face aren't the same on several of the basic plot points, when you look at Robin Year One and the Robin #0 issue and both are written by Dixon.

[thete1.livejournal.com]

*bwahahaha* Oh God, I KNOW. I swear, sometimes looking at the credits for answers just MAKES THINGS WORSE...

[cereta.livejournal.com]

You know, I've never thought of that, and really, I should have. I was too busy being impressed that when the social worker started investigating Jason's death, Dick's name came up at all...

[ratcreature]

When I read it for the first time, I didn't think about it either, it occurred to me only upon rereading, when I wasn't focused so much on the main plot. I like the social worker story too.